Wood, in her third term representing Darien and Norwalk, is the 26th recipient of the annual award. She is being honored by the council for her leadership and commitment to services that improve the lives of families in Connecticut.

Wood will be honored at a reception at the Capitol, Room 310, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Monday, April 28.

"I am so happy to support the good work of the Family Service Agencies and I appreciate all their efforts and all they do. It means a lot to me to receive this award," Wood said.

In the session, Wood served on the as the co-chairman of the Mental Health Working Group for the bill in response to the Sandy Hook school massacre, "An Act Concerning Gun Violence and Children's Safety.". She was instrumental in crafting and implementing the mental health portion of the bill. Wood was committed to making "mental health first aid" a part of the bill. She co-hosted an informational forum at the Capitol about the course and brought in certified instructors to explain the benefits. After recommending the course, she became "mental health first aid certified" and has organized training courses in her district and in the Capitol.

The Connecticut Council of Family Service Agencies is a network of 14 independent, nonprofit, family service agencies that deliver services to more than 224,000 families annually from more than 100 sites located throughout Connecticut.